Anna dobmitzer



(No Model.)

A. D o-RM-ITZE-R.

ORNAMENTAL STEP LADDER.

13a/sented Apr. l2., 1887.

WITNESSES.'

JNVENTUR.

WDM

A T TORNE Y UNITED STATEs PATENT Oiuucn.A

ANNA noRMrrzER, on NEW YORIQN. Y.

ORNAMENTAL STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,212, dated April 12, 1887.

Application tiled October 15, 1886. Serial No. 216,309. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANNA DORMITZER, a citizen of the United States of North America, and a resident of the city, count-y, and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ornamental Step-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is designed as an improvement on the ornamental step-ladder for which a United States Patent, No. 336,219, was issued to me February 16, 1886; audits object is to increase the safety and convenience of the stepladder by certain novel devices, which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Reference is t be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the step-ladder folded in position for suspension from a wall. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same open for use. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same folded up. Fig. 5 is a plan of the upper step of the ladder.

In the drawings, A represents the front section of the ladder, consisting of two parallel side bars, a a, held together by top and bottom crossbars, b b, the four bars forming areetangular frame, which may be strengthened by other cross-bars, as b. The back section, B, is also a rectangular frame composed of side and end pieces, c c and dd, respectively, and preferably strengthened by diagonal bars f f. This section B is inade narrower than the frame A by as much as the thickness of the side bars, a a, and the two sections are hinged or pivoted together at their upper ends, as shown at g, so that the section B may be folded within the sides of the section A, as indicated "in Fig. 4, or so that the two sections may be The steps C C are pivoted at their ends, near `the rear edges thereof, as indicated at h, Fig. 3, between the side bars, a a. The upper step, C, has near its ends two rear extensions, la k, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which are designed when the ladder is open to make contact with their rear ends against the front faces of the side pieces, c c, 'of the section B, and thereby contribute lto the security of the steps when open, as indicated in Fig. 3.

J ointed braces m m, pivoted at their upper ends to the inner faces of the side strips, c a, and at 'their lower ends to the ends of the step O, near the front thereof, also serve to hold the steps firmly in open position, and will fold up with the latter. All the steps@ C are connected with each other by two r0ds,o o,which` are firmly secured to the ends thereof near their fronts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that when the upper step, C, is opened or closed the steps Carc thereby synchronously opened orclosed. y

When the ladder is closed, as indicated in Figs. l, 2, and 4, it may be so held by the engagement of a common catch, p, xed on the section B, over a pin or stud, q, on the section A,as indicated in Fig. 2; or the sections may be held together by any other suitable device. The catch indicated herein consists of a flat elastic strip of .sheet nietal,having a hole in its outer end to t over the stud q, and over this lower strip is shown a rigid iron cap or plate, q, fixed on section B, to serve as a guard for the said lower strip.. This is a common device for such purposes, and hence I make no claim for it. v When it is desired to open the ladder,the said catch may be released from saidstud orpin, and a loop,r,is pulled, with the effect of pulling the steps down in position, and at the same time of pushing the section B into open position through the medium of the links s s, that have their forward ends pivoted on the step-extensions k k, and their rear ends pivoted on the side bars of the section B, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

On the outer face of one of the side bars of the ladder-section A are secured two sleeves, tu, one near the top and the other near the bottom thereof. The upper sleeve, t, is pivoted in place so that it may be swung laterally, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the lower sleeve is immovable. These sleeves together are designed to hold in operative position a stout rod, E, as shown, and said rod is provided near its lower end with a stop-stud, e, laterally inserted,to prevent said rod from being pushed too far down in sleeve u. To fix this rod E in position to be used as a hand support for any one usingthesteps,it is pulled up, as shown in Fig. 3, s0 that its lower end shall be. in the upper sleeve, t, and is then moved into a vertical position, as it may be, by the swing of the sleeve t on its pivot, and then the said rod is pushed down so that the slot y in the lower end of the said rod shall engage over the stud x, fixed inthe side ofthe section A,Whereby the rod is properly steadied in position.

0n the opposite side ofthe section A. a corresponding rod or beading, E', is preferably permanently fixed, in order to make the two sides lool; alike..

A stretcher, y', may be attached to the deviee to hold it open, as indicated in Fig. 3. A

handle, F, secured to the upper bar of the seetion A, enables the user to carry the ladder about, and also serves to suspend it by on a wall. When the device is not in use as a laddex-,it may -be closed and hung on a wall and be then recognized only as a picture or ornamental panel.

Having'thus described myinvention, Ielaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-H 1. The combination, with a step-ladder constructed,substantially as herein shown and described, with frame-sections A B, pivoted or hinged together, and'folding steps C C', of step-extensions k 7;, folding braces m m, rods 0 o, and links ss, all arrangedandoperating as set forth.

2. The combination, with the step-ladder A B, of the pivoted sleeve z, fixed sleeve. u, stop w, and handsupporting rod E, provided with slot y and stud o, all arranged and adapted te operate substantially as herein described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. An ornamental step-ladder constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of frame-sections A B, panel z, pivoted foldingl steps C C, step-extensions 7c k, folding braces m m, rods o 0, and links s s, all arranged as set forth.

4. In a step-ladder provided with a hand-` supporting rod, substantially as herein shown and described, the combination therewith of a sleeve, t, pivoted on a side of the ladder and adapted to hold the rod in operative p0- sition, and a stop, m, inserted in the ladder to assist in holding the rod in place, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in pres enee of two witnesses, this 5th day of October, 1886.

ANNA DORMITZER.

Witnesses:

JACOB J. S/ronnn, JAMES M. BILLY. 

